May 29th, 2013

John Sebastian & Bonsoir Catin

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This week, on American Routes, we travel from the Village to the dancehall. John Sebastian talks about his childhood in Greenwich Village, encounters with blues greats Mississippi John Hurt and Lightning Hopkins, and the musical stew he created with his band The Lovin' Spoonful. Then, a conversation with Kristi Guillory and Christine Balfa of the cajun band Bonsoir Catin about carrying on their musical heritage for the next generation.

May 22nd, 2013

Kings of the Road: From Ramblin' Jack to Kerouac

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Get your key to the highway... this American Routes looks at "the road" as destination, inspiration and home away from home in blues, country, jazz and more. Folkie and fellow traveler Ramblin' Jack Elliot recalls the allure of the road in music and life. Plus, historian and author Douglas Brinkley joins us to speak on travel as muse for beat author Jack Kerouac and others.

May 15th, 2013

Words & Music

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Do the words make the song or the notes? What does it take to tell a good tale in music or about music? We put those questions to a few writers of both songs and stories. Singer-songwriter and memoirist Rosanne Cash sits down before a live audience to tell us about her authorial journey, then we chat with novelist Cyril Vetter on translating a musician's life into fiction. And New Orleans bluesman Little Freddie King spins a few tall tales from the juke joint.

May 8th, 2013

Men of Steel and Soul

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We're bringing the blues from the clubs to the church this week on American Routes. The Campbell Brothers, from Rochester, NY, are masters of sacred steel. With both pedal and lap steel guitars, they summon the spirit in voice and sound. We'll talk about growing up in the church and playing gospel blues on the guitar. Then, New Orleans bluesman Walter "Wolfman" Washington stops by the American Routes studio for a conversation about his life in the music and in the clubs around town.

May 1st, 2013

The Black Keys & The Soul Rebels

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We're sitting down this week with two bands who make their hometowns proud. The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, from Akron, Ohio, have roots in the blues and rock but construct a sound all their own. We chat with them backstage at a performance in the Crescent City. Then New Orleans brass band innovators the Soul Rebels talk about bringing the sounds of the streets to clubs around the world.